l'J04. 



11 IK AMERICAN BE^MvEF^PEU. 



cases, and places Avhere it was possi- 

 ble to rake up a covering for the bees 

 and from which large returns of both 

 cash and honey resulted. 



But what do we see nowV The 

 scene has changed, and changed for 

 the worse. If the present bee-keping 

 community is not awakened to a sense 

 of their duty and realize the fact that 

 our industry is sleeping, the hopes of 

 tiie few bee-keepers wlio still light on 

 against many obstacles will have their 

 hojies ci'ush,'ed to the ground, from 

 which they will never rise. I say the 

 scene is cnanged. Here we see the 

 land Avhich once was a dark, dense for- 

 est, turned to grassy pastures, upon 

 which white clover blooms to its utter 

 best; but where are the bees, those 

 pounds of honey? In many districts 

 they have passed out, Availe b\it a few^ 

 hives are scattered here and there, 

 while very few who keep them 

 know that thir hives consist of 

 a queen, drones and workers. They 

 want the honey from their hives, 

 and to secure it means death to 

 the bees, xhe brimstone pit is dug, 

 and in this way hundi-eds of colonies 

 of bees ai'e killed annually, thus de- 

 creasing the bees of this country; and 

 people ask why the industry is not a 

 more prominent one 



Reader, I say this sort of thing must 

 be stopped, the modern appliances in- 

 troduced; those candle, soap and 

 gin cases must be abolished, and a rev- 

 olution take place in the industry. Hun- 

 dreds in our country today live in per- 

 fect ignorance of the Langstroth hive. 

 Bee journals they have not seen. The 

 good results that follow this industi->' 

 they know not, ajid if this state of 

 things exists as at present, the bee m- 

 dusti'y of this country will in anothei' 

 fifty years be a thing of the past. Have 

 we not a way Oj. placing, within the 

 reach of every person who keeps his 

 two or three hives or his .fifty hives, a 

 way that will bring him in touch with 

 the leniding bee journals, the modern 

 system of bee farming, and pave the 

 way to success for him? I say that 

 way lies through unity. 



The editor, in his intei'esting jour- 

 nal, points out my wail for associa- 

 tions, for the furthering of the indus- 

 try and raising of low price?,; and it 

 is union that will do it. rii,. ii,si;ocia- 

 tions of other counti-ies linve helper! 

 the industry, and it will do the same 



here. If associations were formed, 

 their meetings would be kept before 

 the public. They would have as a 

 member he who carries the years of 

 an experienced bee-master, as well as 

 those who are entering into tne trade 

 and seeking advice. They would ob- 

 1a in practical lessons on the art of 

 managing a modern apiaiy. they 

 would become subscribers to bee jour- 

 nals, and so keep themselves posted 

 ;u the now-a-day doings of other coun- 

 tries. They would 1)e helping to place 

 the industry on a level with other 

 countries. 



Marton, New Zealand, Oct., 1903. 



HONEY COMB. 



Nature and Art Brought Into Comparison---Com- 



mercial Foundation vs. Natural. 



By W. W. McNeal. 



OXK of the prime beauties of hou- 

 eycoml), wholly constructed by 

 the bees, is the wonderfully su- 

 perior supjiorting power. Erail and del- 

 icate to the eye as the flowers from 

 whence its burden of delicious sweet- 

 ness is derived, 'twould seem to be 

 inadequate to the purjioses for which 

 it was made. Delightfully fragrant, 

 crisp to perfection and white as the 

 driven snow; yet these very essential 

 qualities are not more desirable than 

 that of perfect freedom from all ten- 

 dency to sag. No amount of honey the 

 bees can ever store in it will cause it to 

 yield one particle. An overheated con- 

 dition of the hive will cause the comb 

 to melt down, or a sudden jarring of 

 the hive may breaiv the comb in two; 

 but it will not sag. 



In the design of honeycomb there is 

 a radical departure from the principle 

 of construction employed in building 

 a uouse, wherein a perfectly upright 

 position of the walls gives the greatest 

 support to the sti'ucture ul)tainable. 

 Honeycomb beng a susi)euded struc- 

 ture, the cell Avails must necessarily 

 bp of such form or shape that 

 will give substantial support AA'hile 

 overcoming their o\ami tendency to elon- 

 gate, there must be an equal distribu- 

 tion of the Aveight of its lading, not 

 permitting any part or the comb 

 being taxed beyond endurance. 

 The embodiment of that feature — 

 which Ave do find to exist in honey- 

 comb — makes the sjscem a A'erv fit- 



